Carrying case for photographic cameras and the like



w. KNAUF 2,998,042

CARRYING CASE FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC CAMERAS AND THE LIKE Aug. 29, 1961 Filed June 26, 1959 2,998,042 CARRYING "CASE FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC CAMERAS AND THE LlKE Wilhelm Knauf, Braunschweig, Germany, assiguor to Franke & Heidecke, Fabrik Photographischer Prazisions Apparate, Braunschweig, Germany Filed June 26, 1959, Ser. No. 823,252 Claims priority, application Germany July 8, 1958 5 Claims. (Cl. 150-52) The present invention relates to carrying cases especially suitable for use with photographic cameras and, more particularly, to carrying cases of the type known as everready cases, so constructed that the camera does not have to be removed from the carrying case in order to take a picture, but merely a part of the carrying case is opened up to enable the picture to be taken. As most frequently used, the camera in the case is suspended by a carrying strap from around the neck of the operator, and the top cover and front wall are movable as a unit to a position unfolded forwardly and extending downwardly from a hinge between the bottom wall of the case and the adjacent front wall end.

An object of the invention is to provide a generally improved and more satisfactory ever-ready carrying case of the character described.

.Another object is to provide a new and improved everready case having a top cover and front wall which may be hinged away from the remainder of the case to an unfolded position depending downwardly, or which may alternatively be removed from the remainder of the case.

Yet another object is to provide an ever-ready carrying case having a removable top cover and front wall unit which may simply and conveniently be attached to the remainder of the case in a manner allowing the top cover and front wall unit to be unfolded to a forwardly depending position.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a photographic camera carrying case having a removable top cover and front wall unit which cannot be unintentionally released but which maybe easily separated when the necessity arises.

These and other desirable objects may be attained in the manner disclosed as, an illustrative embodiment of the invention in the following description and in the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, in which:

FIG. la is a fragmentary perspective View of the front part of the bottom wall and a side wall of a carrying case according to the. present invention;

FIG. lb is a fragmentary perspective view of the lower portion of a removable front wall;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view through the bottom wall of the case. and. the front wall shown removably attached thereto;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a carrying case with the present invention applied thereto; and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of part of the construction shown in FIG. 3.

The same reference numerals throughout the several views indicate the same parts.

An ever-ready carrying case of the type to which the invention is directed, particularly useful for containing photographic cameras, is illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 of U8. Patent No. 2,681,600, to R. Heidecke, issued June 22, 1954. This case is generally rectangular in form and has a depth and width so as to be specially suitable for use with a twin lens reflex camera. A carrying case of this type has two side walls, a bottom wall, and a rear wall fixed to one another. A removable top cover is hinged at its front end to the upper end of the front wall, the bottom of the front wall being hinged to the forward end of the bottom wall so that the top cover and front wall may nite rates atent ti 2,998,042 Patented Aug. 29, 1961 be unfolded forwardly to a downwardly depending position. Pivoted to the side walls are the ends of a carrying strap which, when the camera is in use, normally extends around the neck of the operator in order that the hands be free to operate the camera. Thus, when the top cover and front wall are folded downwardly, the lenses are exposed and the focusing hood may be unfolded, so that the various camera adjustments may be made and the shutter operated. Instead of the non-removable hinge 10 disclosed in this patent for connecting the bottom wall and the front wall, an articulated hinge of the kind shown in German Patent No. 883,702 to R. Heidecke and H. Bretthauer, published July 20, 1953, may be used.

The present invention is directed particularly to an improved hinge which functions in the manner of the hinge disclosed in the German patent, in that one wall may pivot with respect to the other wall or that the hinge may be disconnected to allow the removal of one wall. As applied to an ever-ready carrying case of the kind just described, this type of hinge allows the top cover and front wall unit to pivot from an upstanding closed position to a downwardly depending position, or alternatively allows the removal of the top cover and front wall unit from the remainder of the camera.

Referring now to the drawings, in FIG. 1a is illustrated a portion of one side wall 1, and the adjoining bottom wall 3. Secured in the bottom wall 3 and depending downwardly therefrom are a pair of spaced pins 4 each having an open hinge eye provided by a transverse slot 5 toward its lower end. The slots 5 open toward the back wall of the case, not here shown.

A front wall 8 is provided having an edge wall 7 extending generally at right angles thereto and disposed in a rearwardly extending direction when the front wall is mounted on the remainder of the case. The edge of the lowermost edge wall 7, as shown in FIG. 1b, is provided over a portion of its length with a plurality of beaded eyes 9 in which is received a hinge pin 6. The diameter of the hinge pin 6 and the width of the transverse slots 5 is chosen such that the hinge pins will slide within these slots. Arranged in the edge wall 7 opening on the hinge pin are two spaced recesses 10, the spacing of which corresponds to the distance between the pins 4 on the bottom wall 3 of the other portion of the case. As will be further explained, the hinge pin 6 can be engaged from the back in the transverse slots 5, the recesses 10 allowing passage of the lower ends of the pins 4.

A latch is provided for releasably holding the hinge pin 6 engaged in the transverse slots 5. Thus, an angular latch 11 is pivoted at one end of its longer leg on the central portion of the hinge pin 6. The shorter leg of the latch 11 and the adjacent portion of the longer leg are provided with two slots 15 and 17 providing outer spring ends 19 and 21 extending approximately perpendicular to the hinge pin 6. Secured to the opposite side edges of the spring ends 19 and 21 and extending inwardly are a pair of detents 12.

As better seen in FIG. 2, the detents 12 engage the tapered front end 2 of the bottom wall 3 when the hinge pin 6 is seated in the transverse slots 5. In order to guarantee a permanent latching action, the front edge 2 of the bottom wall 3 is preferably strengthened with a metal strip 13 over which the detents slide and engage.

The arrangement is such that the spring detents 12 automatically engage over the strip 13 on the front edge 2 of the bottom wall 3 by the action of fitting and closing the front wall 8. Thus, in operation, the detached front wall 8 is grasped in the hand and the exposed portions of the hinge pin 6 above the recesses 10 are fitted into the transverse slots 5 in the depending pins 4. Thereafter the front wall 8 is moved upwardly toward the side 3 walls *1, and the spring detents 12 snap into place over the strip 13 on the front edge 2 of the bottom wall 3 when the long leg of the latch is abutted by an inner liner member 23 secured to the edge wall 7 and are forced into latching engagement thereby.

With this arrangement, it can be seen that the front wall 8 may be hinged downwardly with respect to the bottom wall as when opening the ever-ready case, hinging about the hinge pin 6, the hinge pin 6 itself remaining engaged within the transverse slots by the latch 11. Thus, the operator may move the front wall 8 and the attached top cover to a downwardly unfolded depend ing position so that the lenses of the camera are exposed and so that the focusing hood may be moved into operative position.

With this arrangement, the front wall 8 and the attached top cover may be removed from the remainder of the case when it is desired. To accomplish this, the front wall 8 is pivoted downwardly so that the latch 11 and the spring detents 12 thereon are accessible. The spring detents 12 are manually disengaged, so that the hinge pin 6 may be Withdrawn from the transverse slots 5 by moving the entire front wall rearwardly.

Since the two pins 4 depending from the bottom wall 3 make it diflicult to set down the case in an'upright position, it is avantageous to provide on the bottom wall 3, near the rear edge thereof, an additional pin, the height of which corresponds to the height of the pins 4. In this manner a three point support for the case is provided.

The invention provides a simple and inexpensive hinge and latch which is automatically engaged when the front wall is fitted to the remainder of the case, the latching action being automatically produced as the case is closed. This type of hinge connection cannot be unintentionally released since the latch itself is hidden Within the case. The front wall and attached front cover may, however, be easily separated from the remainder of the case when the necessity arises. The arrangement allows the fi'ont wall and top cover of the case to be moved to an unfolded downwardly depending position in the most usual use with the case suspended from the neck of the operator by a carrier strap.

The hinge and latch herein described may be used on cases or the like other than those provided for containing photographic cameras. It may be used, indeed, wherever its structure and function is adapted to be used.

It is seen from the foregoing disclosure that the above mentioned objects of the invention are well fulfilled. It is to be understood that the foregoing disclosure is given by way of illustrative example only, rather than by Way of limitation, and that without departing from the invention, the details may be varied within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In an ever-ready case having a pair of side walls fixed to a bottom wall and a rear wall, and a front wall and an attached top cover, said front wall being releasably attached to said bottom wall and hinged for movement from an upstanding closed position forwardly and downwardly to a depending position, the improvement comprising a releasable hinge between said bottom wall and front wall, said hinge including means for providing open hinge eyes depending downwardly from said bottom wall and being freely open toward the rear of said bottom wall, a hinge pin secured to one edge of said front Wall, said hinge pin being releasably engaged in said open hinge eyes, and releasable locking means connected to said front wall and engaged with said bottom Wall for releasably securing said front Wall, said locking means being automatically moved to an operative locking position upon mounting said front wall on said bottom wall, said hinge pin being freely movable into and out of said hinge eyes when said front wall is in its fully open position and when said locking means is released to its ineflfective position.

2. A construction as defined in claim 1, wherein said means for providing open hinge eyes comprises a pair of spaced depending pins having transverse slots.

3. A construction as defined in claim 1, wherein said means for providing open hinge eyes comprises a pair of spaced depending pins each having a transverse slot opening toward the rear of said bottom wall.

4. A construction as defined in claim 1, wherein said releasable locking means comprises an angled latch pivoted to said hinge pin and having a plurality of spring detents latched over the forward end of said bottom Wall.

5. A hinge construction for removably connecting one wall member to another wall member and for pivoting the one wall member on the other wall member, said hinge construction comprising a pair of spaced pins depending from said other wall, each of said pins having a transverse slot opening rearwardly, said other wall having a tapered front edge, a hinge pin secured to an edge of said one wall and removably received in each said slot, an angled latch pivoted on said hinge pin and having a pair of spaced spring detents, said detents being releasably latched on said tapered front edge of said other wall, said detents being automatically moved to latched position upon mounting said one wall member on said other wall member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,016,000 Dixon Ian. 30, 1912 2,245,197 Hughey June 10, 1941 2,527,318 Magnus Oct. 24, 1950 2,618,809 Rubinotf Nov. 25, 1952 2,637,460 Yates May 5, 1953 2,681,600 Heidecke June 22, 1954 2,733,830 Ruskin Feb. 7, 1956 2,808,611 Bauermeister Oct. 8, 1957 

